Mouse attacks snake to save friend

Now here's someone you want on your team.

Defying the natural order (snake eats mouse, mouse passively complies), this astonishing set of images shows what happens when one plucky rodent is unwilling to let a viper take his friend.

The two mice were offered up as dinner to a snake at the Hangzhou zoo in China and usually, according to the keeper, the second mouse hides while the snake devours his or her mate.

But after dinner had started, the other mouse attacked the snake and bit him as it tried to kill its friend. While it was sadly too late to save him/her, the attacking mouse was given his freedom after the keeper felt he'd earned his right to live.

Anyone want to go halves on the film rights with us?

(Images: Rex Features)

[via Orange]